- Excluded subjects included diabetics, people being actively treated with niacins, fibrates, statins, insulin, ACE inhibitors or other cholesterol/ blood pressure pharmaceutical treatments, people who consumed large amounts of soy, flax, rye breads, pumpkin seeds, hydrolyzed milk products, sterols, and/or berries (strawberries/blueberries) or supplements aimed at cholesterol reduction such as spruce lignans, sytrinol (poly methoxylated flavanols), polycosinols, people consuming flaxseed on a regular basis.